Schools

David Clarke isn’t a cop or a truant officer, but for a few years now he has taken his fight against truancy directly to students’ front doors. Behind those doors, Clarke often finds students and their families in crisis causing unexcused absences.

Clarke, the admissions director for the six D.C. schools operated by Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), said student truancy often has complicated underlying causes. “Most of our students are not skipping school just for the heck of it,” Clarke said.

“I have found some of our kids with no food, no electricity, no heat or hot water. Some were left to babysit younger siblings. Others were afraid to leave home because of neighborhood beefs,” said Clarke. “Some had no clean clothes, no money to do laundry and were embarrassed to come to school because they didn’t feel presentable.”

The D.C. Public Charter School Board (PCSB) accepted 19 applications to create new public charter schools by the February 1st deadline. Twenty one applications were presented, but only 19 complete applications met the initial submission requirements specified in the Board’s guidelines. The charter schools, if approved, would open in fall 2012.

The 5v5 tournament is for high school boys and girls in the greater DC area. It will be held at St. Albans School – with the girls tournament beginning at 11am followed by the boys in the afternoon.

Registration for a team is $600, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting DC SCORES’ after-school program that serves 800 students at 25 schools in six of the District's eight wards. DC SCORES combines soccer, poetry and service-learning to inspire kids to be physically fit, engaged in school, and active in their communities.

Are you looking for a charter school for your child? Then don’t miss the D.C. Charter School Recruitment Expo on Saturday, January 8th, 2011 from noon – 4:00pm at the Washington Convention Center. It will be a one-stop opportunity to learn about the diverse array of charter school options available in Washington, D.C.. Come and meet the school leaders of the 52 charter schools.

Teachers are encouraged to attend to see what teaching opportunites are available.

Take the Metro right to the Convention Center to avoid traffic and parking challenges. Call 202-328-2660 if you have questions, or just come down. Tell your friends!

The time has finally arrived – almost. After months of learning, writing, re-writing and practicing, DC SCORES’ 800 poet-athletes are making final preparations for the culminating highlight event of the fall season.

DC SCORES is an after-school program that uses the unique combination of soccer, poetry and service-learning to inspire students ages 8-15 to live healthy lifestyles and be engaged in school and their communities.

On consecutive nights, 400 of the District’s public elementary and middle school students will take the stage during the citywide competition to vie for the coveted Golden Mic trophy that goes to the elementary school winner. The Slam! showcases original works of poetry written and performed by the students at DC SCORES' 25 schools.

This unique art exhibit/event was sent to us by the U.S. Department of Education:

To help recognize International Education Week, eighth- and ninth-grade student artworks inspired by Washington, D.C.'s Anacostia River will be on display beginning Tuesday, November 16, in the lobby of the U.S. Department of Education alongside student artworks illustrating London's Thames River. Six public schools from both D.C. and London are represented in the show.

The exhibit is part of the British Council's Rivers of the World project, linking schools and more than 2,000 13-14 year olds around the world through a common theme: their city's river. D.C. students contributed artwork portraying the Anacostia. The project is sponsored by The (London) Mayor's Thames Festival in partnership with the British Council and supported by the HSBC Education Trust.